Re: Trivial Pursuit and Quizbowl

sfs98ud99 <*no_reply_at_yahoogroups.com*> · Thu, 11 Sep 2003 00:12:21 -0000

--- In quizbowl_at_yahoogroups.com, "Jason Mueller" <jcmpn7_at_m...> wrote:
> Is using Trivial Pursuit questions for quizbowl practices instead of 
> packets a good idea, because that's what the new leadership at Mizzou 
> wants to start out with, as they're still mad at me for starting last 
> year off with Moon Pie questions.

I'll make it my key precept that Mizzou's new leadership can do
whatever the heck they want since they are Mizzou's new leadership. 
Sort of a "he who has the gold makes the rules" argument.

That said, I'll play devil's advocate and say that Trivial Pursuit
questions aren't necessarily evil - they are (usually) low in
difficulty, they're popular, and they get the neurons firing to
associate questions with answers.  Most members of the general
community will not do very well on even junior bird-level questions
and may, after getting just one or two questions right, decide that
"this is too hard, and I'm not smart enough to be here".  This
approach isn't going to cost you many child prodigies, but I'll wager
that it will cost people who aren't particularly good at quizbowl but
who can put together and run tournaments or do behind-the-scenes work
and will stay because they enjoy the camraderie.

A simple and non-threatening introduction may get more people to come
to the first few practices, during which they make one or two friends,
notice the attractive person attending the practice from Arkham Hall,
and generally decide that they're interested in giving some of their
time to the program.  It's also possible to upgrade the questions to
junior bird-level or harder a few weeks in after a comfort level has
been established.  If you're really worried, you can run additional
practices or different rooms that accomodate people who want harder
questions (either junior bird-level or regular difficulty).

Bottom line - there are many different clubs, and many different ways
to build them.  Trivial Pursuit questions can be a valuable portion of
at least some of them.